Online TBC
People suffering chronic poverty must find food to eat. Poverty foods have varied across time, place, and culture, ranging from the products of subsistence agriculture and foraging to mass-produced industrial foods. The recent rise of starvation as a weapon of war and oppression has lent increased urgency to the theme of Poverty Food, chosen in 2023 as the topic for the 2026 Oxford Food Symposium. We invite proposals on this theme from any number of disciplines and especially welcome approaches exploring how lived experiences of poverty translate into dietary practices.
Keynote speakers
Claude Fischler
Senior Investigator Emeritus, Centre national de la recherche scientifique
Marion Nestle
Paulette Goddard Professor of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health Emerita, New York University
Théodore Kaboré
World Food Programme Head for Niger and Country Director of Action Against Hunger in Chad
Ole G. Mouritsen
Professor Emeritus of gastrophysics and culinary food innovation, University of Copenhagen
Guest Chefs
Ana Ortiz
Co-founder of Fire Made and specialist in asado
Hanane Tancrede
Co-founder of Mama Nissa and co-author of “Goûts d’Algérie” and “Easy Algérie”
Joannès Rivière
Co-founder of Cuisine Wat Damnak, Siem Reap, Cambodia and author of “Cambodian Cooking: A humanitarian project in collaboration with Act for Cambodia”
OFS Young Chefs inspired by…
Jennie Moran founder of Luncheonette, author of ‘How to Soften Corners’, creative researcher
Book Your Place
The campus layout at St Catherine’s may be the same as last year so we are restricted to 220 Symposiasts. Priority will be given to residential and non-residential places.
Subject to availability single day and individual meal tickets will not be available until June.
Please note that twin rooms are now sold out. If you would like to be put on a waiting list for cancellations, please apply here
Please login or create an account to purchase tickets.
Subsidised student places
The American Friends of the Oxford Symposium and the Julia Child Foundation subsidise 50% of the cost of a limited number of places at the Symposium for Students.
If you are interested in applying please fill out the form below.
Young Chefs grants
The American Friends of the Oxford Symposium and the Julia Child Foundation also annually sponsor the Young Chef Grants, designed to bring several early career food professionals to experience both the academic and practical guises of the Symposium. Young Chef Grants are awarded to culinary professionals with not more than ten years in the industry.
Applications for the Young Chef Grants now open, the deadline for applications is the 1st March 2026.
What to expect
An immersive Weekend and beyond
The Weekend will be a full-time immersion in gatherings for keynote talks, papers, meals as well as educational and other inspiring activities. Online, recordings, additional content, panel discussions and social meetings will then follow during the Conference, until the Grand Online-Finale of the Symposium.
A symposium for everyone
We anticipate a high level of enthusiasm and while there is a limit to the number of places at the in person event we’ll strive to make sure all voices are heard. If you can’t make it to St Catz, then join us at the unique online conference which follows.
The Symposium has always been a coming-together and admission to the in person event will be, as usual, first-come first-served closing on 14th June and with no academic qualifications required.
Awards, grants & prizes
We have a number of assisted places, student rates, awards, grants and prizes that all applicants should endeavour to consult before registering their place.
St Catherine’s, affectionately known as St Catz, is our spiritual home
We are happy to be back at St Catz, and you can read about the physical campus below.
FAQs
For further information on the Symposium, including activities, meals, dress, Symposium etiquette and more.
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